15 of the Best Lettuce Varieties to Grow for Backyard Gardeners
- Ithaca Iceberg Lettuce. Photo credit: Pixabay.
- Nevada Summer Crisp Lettuce.
- Tom Thumb Butterhead Lettuce.
- Parris Island Romaine Lettuce.
- Coastline Summer Crisp Lettuce.
- Ice Green Loose-Leaf Lettuce.
- Flashy Butter Oak Lettuce.
- Summer Bibb Butterhead Lettuce.
What is the best tasting lettuce?
Also known as “cos,” this long leaved salad green is crisp and crunchy, and usually has a mild, or just slightly bitter taste.
Romaine
- Cimarron.
- EZ Serve.
- Forellenschluss.
- Little Caesar.
- Little Gem.
- Parris Island.
- Paris White.
- Vivian.
What is the best variety of lettuce to grow?
1. Grow loose-leaf varieties. In general, loose-leaf lettuces are more heat-resistant and slower to bolt than lettuce varieties that form heads. I encourage you to try a butterhead lettuce first, followed by any type of green leaf, red leaf, or batavia lettuce.
What lettuce is easy to grow?
Romaine lettuce is one of the most popular types of lettuce and is very easy to grow. You can grow it as a baby crop and harvest the young leaves for weeks or you can allow the plants to mature to full-sized heads.
What is the best month to plant lettuce?
Lettuce seeds germinate best in the cooler temperatures of spring or fall. If it’s too hot, they won’t germinate. So, the best time to plant lettuce seeds is as soon as the ground is workable in very early spring, or once the temps start to cool down in late summer or early fall.
What is the best lettuce to grow for salads?
We have 10 great varieties ranging from iceberg to loose leaf, for every purpose and preference out there.
- Ithaca Iceberg Lettuce.
- Nevada Summer Crisp Lettuce.
- Tom Thumb Butterhead Lettuce.
- Parris Island Romaine Lettuce.
- Coastline Summer Crisp Lettuce.
- Ice Green Loose-Leaf Lettuce.
- Flashy Butter Oak Lettuce.
What lettuce makes the best salad?
15 Great Greens to Add to Your Salad Bowl
- Red-Leaf Lettuce. The red-tipped leaves of this loose-leaf lettuce are a variant of green-leaf lettuce.
- Romaine Lettuce.
- Butterhead Lettuce.
- Iceberg Lettuce.
- Green-Leaf Lettuce.
- Mâche.
- Arugula.
- Watercress.
Which lettuce grows fastest?
Some of the fastest growing lettuce varieties include: Flashy Trout Back, Buttercrunch, Jericho, Green Saladbowl, Red Sails, Clearwater, Deer Tongue, Waldmann’s Dark Green, Tambay, Alboreto, Powerhouse, and Little Gem. All of these lettuce varieties will be ready for harvest in less than 6 weeks from planting.
What is the hardiest lettuce to grow?
Heat-tolerant lettuces:
- ‘Black Seeded Simpson’ (Leaf Lettuce)
- ‘Great Lakes 118’ (Crisphead)
- ‘Ice Queen (Reine des Glaces)’ (Summer Crisp)
- ‘Little Gem’ (Romaine)
- ‘Marvel of Four Season’ (Butterhead)
- ‘New Red Fire’ (Leaf Lettuce)
- ‘Parris Island’ Cos (Romaine)
- ‘Red Sails (Leaf Lettuce)
What is the sweetest lettuce to grow?
Actually, Little Gem is a mini romaine lettuce. The sweetest lettuce I have ever grown is Tom Thumb, a miniature butterhead. May Queen comes in second and De Morges Braun, third.
Which lettuces are cut and come again?
The looseleaf varieties are all great cut and come again varieties. Some of our favorites include: Black Seeded Simpson, Metta Lettuce Mix, Really Red Deer Tongue, and Red Salad Bowl.
How do you pick lettuce so it keeps growing?
Plan to harvest your lettuce leaves in the morning, when they’ll be at their crispest. Cut the outer lettuce leaves about 1 inch above the crown. This protects the crown so the lettuce can continue growing. Cut off the amount of lettuce needed when the leaves reach a length between 3 and 6 inches.
What is the most crisp lettuce?
A prime example of a crisphead is iceberg lettuce: its round head is made up of tightly packed, crunchy leaves.
How often should you water lettuce?
twice a week
Lettuce has shallow roots, so plants need consistent watering. Check at least twice a week and water if the soil is dry down to 1 inch deep. Containers of lettuce need to be watered more frequently than garden beds, especially in the summer.
What kind of soil does lettuce like?
Lettuce does best in a loose, well-drained soil, with regular watering and adequate nitrogen. Whether your soil is heavy clay or a light sandy type, the incorporation of compost will often improve the growing conditions.
How long does it take to grow lettuce?
Most lettuce varieties mature in 45 to 55 days, allowing many gardeners to plant two or even three crops. But looseleaf and butterhead leaves can be harvested at just about any time in their development. Heading varieties take longer to mature. Romaine takes 75 to 85 days and crisphead 70 to 100 days.
What type of lettuce do restaurants use?
Iceberg is widely used in restaurants and grocery stores because of its long shelf life and low cost compared with romaine lettuce.
What is the longest lasting lettuce?
head lettuce
Loose leaf lettuce can last seven to ten days when properly stored, but head lettuce lasts much longer than that. Left intact and unwashed, head lettuce will last one to three weeks in the fridge. In comparison to other leafy greens, though, lettuce reigns as the long shelf life champion.
What is the healthiest salad leaf?
Some of the most nutritious greens include spinach, kale, romaine, watercress, and arugula (see “Salad greens by the numbers”). They are rich in a combination of vitamins A, C, and K; several B vitamins (including folate); and potassium.
Which lettuce has the most flavor?
Romaine. If you’ve ever had a Caesar salad, you’ve had romaine, also known as cos lettuce. With a long, upright head of crisp, pale green leaves sporting crunchy midribs, romaine—particularly the lighter leaves toward the center (the heart)—is more flavorful than some other varieties.
Which is the healthiest lettuce?
Butter lettuce
Also called Boston or bibb lettuce, butter lettuce is the most nutritious of the lettuces on this list. The leaves are higher in folate, iron, and potassium than iceberg or leaf lettuces.